The Spain is also evidence of voluntarism in the matter since it 57

Too slow to make progress on public investment to invest 3 of GDP in R & D - verging on today 2-, Europe set now for more and more other vectors that the budgets of the various departments, moving the slider in particular on financing by the private sector. According to estimates by the European Commission, the latter should, indeed, contribute to 2/3 of the effort devoted by 2010 to meet the target set in Barcelona, in accordance with the commitment made by the European Council in March 2002. The Commission therefore borrows today a political way to stimulate private investment, expressing very satisfied tax incentives introduced or extended in eight countries, namely the Spain, the France, the Italy, the Netherlands, the Austria, Great Britain, the Hungary and the Latvia, where they represent on average 13 of research spending direct. Indirect aid to R & D through tax relief "are becoming more and more significant in global policies to support the efforts of R & D," insisted the European Commissioner for research, Philippe Busquin, in his statement on the issue, March 17, in Brussels (1).

Shown as an example, the effort tax produced by three members or future members States translates into substantial levels, estimated to be Netherlands about 12.5 of the amount of public research spending, 16 to 42 in Latvia and Austria. "These policies within national strategic choices, but it is certain that we encourage strongly, comment on in the entourage of the Commissioner." The objective of 3 of investment in research can only be achieved by a mixture of indirect financing, including through such policies of tax incentives and direct funding. "In Hungary, for example, the" 200 rule"permits the deduction of 200 of R & D spending intramural or contractual company profits before taxation. The result of this measure is compelling because the number of enterprises with R & D activities in Hungary, has almost tripled: 220 and 630 in the past three years.

The France jumped 90

and ahead of Britain

Other European States began to mobilize in this direction. In Belgium, the reduction of employer contributions of 50 for certain public bodies of research will be extended in July 2004 to other OPR, then in January 2005 business partners of institutions of higher education. As the France, through the status JEI (young innovative enterprises), it occupies the highest expenses: 985 Meurosen indirect tax measures and other planned in 2004, with a leap of 90 from 2003. A performance that puts, for the first time in Britain, which will devote 968 Meurosaux indirect measurements in 2004, with an increase of 3. The Spain is, also, evidence of voluntarism in the matter since it 57.3 increase in this type of financing, for a total of 416,7 million for this year. A direction much more beneficial than the corporate tax should increase by an average of 2 by 2005 in the fifteen, while he will always decrease an average of 8 in the new members.Mentor: Simplification of procedures européennesLa European Commission began a modernisation of the competition rules on State aid for research. The first Act, this March 19, is the extension to the R & D of the regulation that exempts to notify Brussels of State aid to SMEs. Administrations will thus be able to shorten the delays in implementation of national programmes and allocation of the individual aid to SMEs. In addition, the Commission prepares a proposal for a legal framework harmonized for venture capital funds, which should avoid the double taxation of individual investors and funds through which they invest. To assess the first concrete results of tax initiatives national and community, a conference entitled: "Investing in innovation", organized by the future Dutch Presidency, will take place next October.